Maintenance of channel usage in a wireless communication system

ABSTRACT

Data is accessed from a network via a wireless communication link. A determination is made as to whether payload data has been received from a subscriber&#39;s terminal. If so, then a request is sent for a first set of traffic channels, and the payload data is transmitted over the first set of traffic channels.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/235,389 filed Sep. 26, 2005, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/288,229, filed Apr. 8, 1999, which issued asU.S. Pat. No. 6,965,778 on Nov. 15, 2005, which are incorporated byreference as if fully set forth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. Inparticular, the present invention relates to systems and methods forproviding wireless connections between a wireless access device and anetwork.

Wireless access for computing networks is known in the art. Typicallysuch systems are implemented by a layered wireless communication system.Layered communication systems are characterized by levels of processingthat are performed for transmission and reception of a data signal. Forexample, a “physical layer” typically refers to processing that isperformed to package a signal for radio transmission; it may includeerror coding, data interleaving digital code modulation, and otherconventional processing. The physical layer can be contrasted with, forexample, a “data layer” that performs processing to format a signal intoa format appropriate for delivery for the wireless device to thesubscriber terminal.

Prior-art systems are disadvantageous because the wireless access devicemaintains a channel on a physical layer when the subscriber terminalneeds to maintain an active channel, even if there is no payload databeing transferred over the physical channel. This system is bandwidthinefficient because data transmissions in computer networks are“bursty,” characterized by a short transfer of high-rate data, followedby a relatively long period in which no data are transferred. Thisinefficiency reduces the number of subscribers that can be working on asystem.

Thus a need exists for a system in which a subscriber and awireless-access device can communicate along a layer of the connection,without activating the physical layer until payload data is intended tobe sent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To alleviate the problems inherent in the prior art, systems and methodsare introduced to provide wireless communication to a network.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a wireless access devicedetermines whether payload data has been received from a subscriber'sterminal. If so, a first set of traffic channels is requested, and thepayload data is transmitted via the first set of traffic channels. Arelease message can then be sent, thereby freeing the traffic channelsfrom use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system overview of an embodiment of the present inventionincluding a wireless access device and a base station.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting an embodiment of a method of practicingthe present invention from the perspective of a wireless access device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting a method of practicing an anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe present invention, comprising a processor and a memory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. Inparticular, the present invention relates to network communication in awireless environment in which an idle mode is maintained until data isready for transmission, and then an active mode is entered fortransmission.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a network-communication systemconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The communication system 100 can include network 101, base station 102,wireless access device 103, and subscriber terminal 104. Wireless accessdevice 103 is typically a wireless, non-roaming device, although thepresent invention is not limited to non-roaming devices.

Wireless access device 103 can receive payload data from subscriberterminal 104, and transmit both payload and other types of data overcommunication system 100. Wireless access device can communicate withnetwork 101 through a wireless connection with base station 102.Wireless access device 103 can contain a buffer, or any kind ofpracticable storage device, to store data received from subscriberterminal 104, and can contain a processor that is capable of determiningwhether data is present in the buffer, and how much data is in thebuffer. The processor can also transmit a request for traffic channelsto carry payload data.

Base station 102 can send and receive data to and from both wirelessaccess device 103 and network 101. Base station 102 can receive andprocess requests for channel assignment, and can assign traffic channelsfor payload data transmission between base station 102 and wirelessaccess device 103. Base station 102 can also send and receive a releasemessage, thereby deconstructing the assigned traffic channels after thedata is sent or received, respectively.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there are at least twodistinct network-communication modes. Note that in this context, a moderefers to one direction only, independent of another mode. For example,a device can be idle in the forward direction, but active in the reversedirection.

First is an idle mode, in which no payload data is sent, even thoughwireless access device 103 has registered with base station 102. In thisidle mode, no data is sent. When there is data to be sent, the idle modebecomes an active mode in which traffic channels are assigned, data istransmitted over the traffic channels, and then the traffic channels arereleased. The network connection has now returned to idle mode. If thereis more data to be sent from wireless access device to base station, orfrom base station to wireless access device, then an active mode isentered in which traffic channels are again assigned and payload data isagain transmitted. Once this data is transmitted, the traffic channelsare released, and the system again enters an idle mode. Thus, trafficchannels are not assigned until some amount of data is present. In oneembodiment of the present invention, channels are allocated on aper-subscriber basis. Thus, once traffic channels are requested, all ofthe allocated traffic channels can be assigned to carry transmitteddata. Once this data is transmitted, the traffic channels are releasedand network awaits the next active mode.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the modes are defined in onedirection only. For example, a wireless-access device can be in idlemode for sending information, but can be receiving information at thesame time.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a third mode isemployed. Specifically, a heartbeat mode is employed such thatlow-bandwidth timing signals are transmitted over a reverse control ornon-traffic channel until payload data is present for transmission. Ifpayload data is present for transmission, then the system enters anactive mode as in the previous embodiment. That is, traffic channels areassigned, the payload data is transmitted over the traffic channels, andthen the traffic channels are released.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an overview of at least one embodiment of thepresent invention. In this embodiment, wireless access device 103 hasreceived data from a subscriber terminal, and desires to transmit thatdata to a network such as the Internet through base station 102. At step201, wireless access device 103 requests a number of traffic channelsfrom base station 102. This request can be made over a reverse controlor non-traffic channel.

At step 202, base station 102 grants the traffic channel request. Thiscan be done by sending wireless access device 103 an explicit messageover a forward control or non-traffic channel, thereby creating orconstructing the traffic channels. Alternatively, although not shown,base station 102 can simply create or construct the traffic channelsbased on the request without sending an explicit grant.

Once the traffic channels are constructed, wireless access device 103can transmit payload data to the base station at step 203, the payloaddata ultimately intended for a network. Once the payload data is sent,then at step 204, wireless access device 103 can send a release,prompting the base station to release the traffic channels. The systemis now in idle mode.

If base station 102 has data to transmit to wireless access device 103,for example, a web page in response to a URL received from the wirelessaccess device, then in one embodiment of the present invention, basestation 102 can send a message over a forward control or non-trafficchannel to wireless access device 103 that a number of traffic channelshas been assigned at step 205. Payload data can be sent over the trafficchannels at step 206, and the channels are released at step 207, placingthe system back in idle mode.

In another embodiment of the present invention, step 205 does notinclude a message to wireless access device 104 that a number of trafficchannels has been assigned. Rather, in this step, traffic channels aresimply assigned, and then payload data is transmitted over the assignedchannels at step 206.

As discussed above, the system can include a heartbeat mode in whichlow-bandwidth timing data is transmitted over an control or non-trafficchannel. This heartbeat mode can take the place of the idle mode.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting a method of practicing an embodiment ofthe present invention. At step 301, the system is in idle mode. Althoughnot shown, the system can instead be in a heartbeat mode. At step 302,it is determined whether payload data is present. If payload data ispresent, then at step 303, a number of traffic channels are requestedfrom a base station. Once the traffic channels are assigned, the payloaddata is transmitted over the requested channels at step 304. Thechannels are then released, and the system returns to idle mode. In oneembodiment of the present invention, a release message can be sent afterthe payload data is transmitted.

The constructed traffic channels can be one or many radio frequencychannels, and the payload-data transmission can be code divisionmultiple access (CDMA) transmission

Note that the flow charts in the present document are numbered, and theclaim steps are numbered or lettered, solely for the reader'sconvenience. The embodiment and the claims are not intended to imply anorder to the steps; the steps can be performed in any order practicable.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 4 includes processor 401 and memory 402,with memory 402 storing instructions adapted to be executed on processor401 to run any method embodiment of the present invention. For example,memory 402 can store instructions adapted to be executed on processor401 to determine whether payload data is present, determine the size ofthe payload data, request a number of traffic channels, and thentransmit the payload data over the traffic channels.

For the purposes of this application, memory includes any medium capableof storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor. Someexamples of such media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, floppydisks, CDROM, magnetic tape, hard drives, optical storage units, and anyother device that can store digital information. In one embodiment, theinstructions are stored on the medium in a compressed and/or encryptedformat. As used herein, the phrase “adapted to be executed by aprocessor” is meant to encompass instructions stored in a compressedand/or encrypted format, as well as instructions that have to becompiled or installed by an installer before being executed by theprocessor.

The present invention has been described in terms of several embodimentssolely for the purpose of illustration. Persons skilled in the art willrecognize from this description that the invention is not limited to theembodiments described, but may be practiced with modifications andalterations limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1. A wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) device comprising: a processing device configured, on a condition that payload data associated with a channel is present, to determine a size of the payload data associated with the channel; wherein the processing device is further configured, on the condition that the payload data associated with the channel is present, to transmit information to a base station; wherein the processing device is further configured to receive a grant and in response to the transmitted information; wherein the processing device is further configured in response to the grant to transmit the payload data over at least one CDMA channel.
 2. The wireless CDMA device of claim 1 wherein a number of CDMA channels that the payload data is transmitted over is derived from at least the grant.
 3. The wireless CDMA device of claim 1 wherein the payload data is transmitted over a plurality of CDMA channels and a portion of the payload data is transmitted over each channel.
 4. The wireless CDMA device of claim 3 wherein a number of the plurality of CDMA channels that the payload data is transmitted over is derived from at least the grant.
 5. The wireless CDMA device of claim 1 wherein the processing device is further configured to transition from an idle to an active mode on a condition that the payload data is received.
 6. The wireless CDMA device of claim 1 wherein on a condition that the processing device has no payload data to transmit, the processing device is further configured to transmit only a CDMA control channel to the base station.
 7. The wireless CDMA device of claim 6 wherein the CDMA control channel transmission is used for uplink timing synchronization.
 8. The wireless CDMA device of claim 7 wherein the CDMA control channel transmission has a lower bandwidth than the CDMA control channel transmission when transmitted with a CDMA channel carrying payload data.
 9. A method implemented in a wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) device, the method comprising: on a condition that payload data associated with a channel is present, determining a size of the payload data associated with the channel; on the condition that the payload data associated with the channel is present, transmitting information to a base station; receiving a grant and in response to the transmitted information; wherein the processing device is further configured in response to the grant transmitting the payload data over at least one CDMA channel in response to the grant.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein a number of CDMA channels that the payload data is transmitted over is derived from at least the grant.
 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the payload data is transmitted over a plurality of CDMA channels and a portion of the payload data is transmitted over each channel.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein a number of the plurality of CDMA channels that the payload data is transmitted over is derived from at least the grant.
 13. The method of claim 9 further comprising transitioning from an idle to an active mode on a condition that the payload data is received.
 14. The method of claim 9 transmitting only a CDMA control channel to the base station on a condition that a processing device has no payload data to transmit.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the CDMA control channel transmission is used for uplink timing synchronization.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the CDMA control channel transmission has a lower bandwidth than the CDMA control channel transmission when transmitted with a CDMA channel carrying payload data. 